Free Captive by Sarah Fine

Chapter One
    The Mazikin was bleeding on his boots.
    Malachi shifted in the narrow space, silently stepping away from the creature whose throat he’d cut. More would come. In fact, he was counting on it. It was why he was here. He’d followed this one, a woman with thinning hair and mottled skin, for hours, until he was certain of what she was. He’d slipped into this basement behind her. She hadn’t noticed his presence until it was far too late.
    This place was an empty, echoing shell, definitely not a nest. An outpost, more likely — a place where a small group of Mazikin could hide out when they weren’t hunting for new victims. Clarence had been sighted in the area lately, as had Kenzi, and both of them were notoriously prolific recruiters. Ana had said she’d seen Sil recently as well, and he was much more than a recruiter. If he was in the area, this close to the Sanctum — recruiting wasn’t the only thing the Mazikin were up to. But Malachi already knew that.
    The Mazikin had been very busy lately.
    He had five dead Guards to show for it.
    His heart picked up a hard rhythm as he heard the sound he’d been waiting for. Footsteps on the stairs, followed by hooting laughter he knew well. He peered through the crack in the almost-closed door that concealed his hiding place, a utility closet in the far corner of the room, behind a pillar and a random pile of garbage.
    The new arrival had brought a lantern, filling the space with gray-green light. Malachi’s view was only a narrow slice of the room, not that he needed more than that. He had the map in his head, had already memorized where all the obstacles were, where all the potential weapons lay, each escape route. All he needed to know now was who he was up against.
    A wiry Asian man in a rumpled business suit — with a scimitar stolen from a Guard sheathed in his belt. Sil, one of the Mazikin leaders. He hung the lantern from a hook and stood at the bottom of the stairs, holding the arm of a petite young woman with blonde hair. She rubbed her nose against the lapel of his jacket as he surveyed the room with a frown on his face. He grunted and coughed, speaking the Mazikin language. Malachi had spent the past few decades spying on Mazikin whenever he could, so he easily understood most of what they said.
    Frances isn’t back yet , Sil grunted at the girl in a distinctly irritated and whiny tone. He had always been a disciplined, careful creature, far more so than the other Mazikin, which made him far more dangerous. And more annoying. She said she’d be here with at least one new recruit .
    Malachi smiled grimly in the darkness. Frances was lying at his feet and had bled out about half an hour ago.
    More footsteps on the stairs. The Guards are patrolling heavily tonight , huffed a lispy voice. Clarence, his lips folded inward over his nearly toothless gums, lowered himself to all fours and galloped into the room, passing inconveniently close to Malachi’s hiding place. If he smelled the blood, Malachi would be discovered. Which would be fine… after he had a chance to gather some intelligence.
    Clarence rose to his feet in front of Sil. I had a recruit. Amazing hair on this girl. And the color in her cheeks…she was perfect. But a Guard ambushed us before I could take her .
    Sil threaded his fingers through the blonde’s hair and pressed her face into his neck, where she made little snuffling sounds as she wrapped her arms around his waist. They know we’re in the area , he growled. We should move on soon. We can grab a few as we head to the north .
    So the nest was in the north. Malachi had suspected that for a while, and his encounter with Ibram in the Harag zone just over a day ago had raised his suspicions further. He’d still be patrolling there if he hadn’t been wounded. Malachi rolled his shoulder, running his fingers along the raised scar that now traversed his upper arm. He could feel it even through the fabric of his shirt. Raphael had